Shadows and Stone stands for the delicious enigma life is - seemingly easy to recall yet as easily forgotten... Or should one say - so nonchalantly experienced, but so painfully hard to erase. The words originally are from Alain Resnais' beautiful film 'Hiroshima mon Amour', which talked about inconsolable memories and the recalled now.

'Teer Kamaan' was a popular talk-show (between adults and children) on Zee TV, aired in the mid-90s. I directed it for one of the later seasons. We created a new set (designed by Omung Kumar) and a new signature song (Lyrics: Ravinder Rawal, Music: Uday Mazumdar). I love the words, the music, the setting, and the kids - who must be mostly 30 plus now...

Monday, March 25, 2013

Rajni (Jalan) was my principal assistant while I was Directing seasons of "Teer Kamaan" and "Positive Health Show" at Zee TV, sometimes in the mid-90s. A post-graduate in Communication Media for Children from SNDT, Pune, she was a great help (and endured a lot of shit from me). Thank you, and sorry, Rajni.

Friday, March 22, 2013

On the sets of the Zee TV Talk Show "Teer Kamaan" which I directed for a season, sometimes in the mid-90s. The set design and construction was by Omung Kumar (also called OK), familiar to the then television audience as the very popular host of the game show 'Ek Minute' (also on Zee)

"The Positive Health Show" - another show I directed at Zee in the mid-90s. It was anchored by one Dr. Batra (yes, the famous homoeopath who helps you deal with hair loss and other sundry deficiencies). One of the show's sections dealt with health cooking. I remember at the end of this one all of us unwholesomely rushed in to eat the just cooked gourmet dish. Incidentally, the smart boy intently observing me at the back is Sagar Ballary (later to become famous as the Director of 'Bheja Fry'). Sagar was a young college student then, assisting me in Zee while bunking his classes at Ruia :)

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Once upon a time (some time it was !), there was a boy, top, left. He loved the girl, top right. But the guy in the top middle kept coming in the way. So did the girl in the middle right, whose shoulders (and counsel) the top right girl trusted; while the one in the middle middle kept scoring aces in exams, in accomplished ignorance. Meanwhile the graceful guy at the bottom (middle) quietly rose up in ranks, to become the Vice President, Special Programs, International Campaign for Tibet, Washington, D.C. (not joking, this). End of story.

Friday, February 22, 2013

An ad I made nearly two decades back, while working in Zee. The idea was to sell Esselworld (their amusement park, off Mumbai) during the monsoons (a traditionally lean season), as a romantic destination for the young. A busload of enthusiastic hip youngsters were transported from St. Xavier's College, working for fresh air, junk food and being taken on rides. The result did not particularly boost the sales of Esselworld or the confidence of my bosses in my evident talents. However my takeaway was this jingle, WRITTEN by me (Music & Voice: Uday Mazumdar).

रिमझिम रिमझिम, एस्सेलवर्ल्ड

रिमझिम रिमझिम, एस्सेलवर्ल्ड

देखा जबसे मैंने तुझको हुआ है दिल दीवाना

बारीश के प्यारे नग्मे और एस्सेलवर्ल्ड में आना

रिमझिम रिमझिम, एस्सेलवर्ल्ड

रिमझिम रिमझिम, एस्सेलवर्ल्ड

प्यार की बातें, प्यार से करले

अन्दर, बाहर, ऊपर, नीचे

छोड़ दे गुस्सा मान ले कहना

तू आगे में पीछे पीछे

रिमझिम रिमझिम, एस्सेलवर्ल्ड

रिमझिम रिमझिम, एस्सेलवर्ल्ड

भूल भूलैया, चक्कर टक्कर

मिले हैं सुर अब सात

झूम के नाचो, भीगो, गाओ

बनी है अपनी बात

रिमझिम रिमझिम, एस्सेलवर्ल्ड

रिमझिम रिमझिम, एस्सेलवर्ल्ड

(Banegi Apni Baat was a popular 'youth love' serial on Zee, during my times there)